all evolutionary biology stories

Orphan army ants join nearby colonies

404132862 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0500

Mention worms to most people, and they probably think of fishing, gardening, or trips to the vet. Mention them to Susan E.

Genetic sex determination let ancient species adapt to ocean life

404132862 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:50:30 -0400

A new analysis of extinct sea creatures suggests that the transition from egg-laying to live-born young opened up evolutionary pathways that allowed these ancient species to adapt to and thrive in open oceans.

The evolutionary sleuthing is described today in a letter in the journal Nature by scientists at Harvard and the University of Reading who also report that the evolution of live-born young depended crucially on the advent of genes — rather than incubation temperature — as the primary determinant of offspring sex.

Wilson, Watson reflect on past trials, future directions

404132862 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:58:35 -0400

If they could do it all over again, two of the 20th century’s greatest biologists would study the brain and the vast, unknown world of prokaryotes — the bacteria that are all around us today and that dominated the planet before the emergence of complex life.

Freshwater fish at top of food chain evolve more slowly

404132862 — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:23:11 -0400

Since evolving to eat other fish, freshwater fish at the top of the food chain have remained relatively unchanged compared with their insect- and snail-eating cousins, according to new research.

Scientists report in the journal Evolution that once these fish, known as centrarchids, became top predators in aquatic ecosystems, natural selection put the brakes on their evolution.

Individual primates display variation in general intelligence

50443248 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:57:23 -0400

Scientists at Harvard University have shown, for the first time, that intelligence varies among individual monkeys within a species – in this case, the cotton-top tamarin.

Testing for broad cognitive ability, the researchers identified high-, middle-, and low-performing monkeys, determined by a general intelligence score. General intelligence, or g, is a hallmark of human cognition, often described as similar to IQ. The effect of g in primates may offer insights into the evolution of human general intelligence.

Invention of cooking drove evolution of the human species, new book argues

50443248 — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:33:34 -0400

“You are what you eat.” Can these pithy words explain the evolution of the human species?

Yes, says Richard Wrangham of Harvard University, who argues in a new book that the invention of cooking — even more than agriculture, the eating of meat, or the advent of tools — is what led to the rise of humanity.

New department reflects the evolution of human evolution

50443248 — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:17:07 -0400

Earlier this month, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) made official what scientists worldwide have known for years: Harvard is a hotbed of research and teaching in the field of human evolutionary biology — the study of why we’re the way we are.

Evolution explored from all angles

50443248 — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:10:20 -0400

From humanity’s close relationship to chimpanzees to the missing link between land and sea creatures, the Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH) has capped off a year celebrating Darwin and “On the Origin of Species” with a new exhibit that puts evolution front and center.

Embryo’s heartbeat drives blood stem cell formation

50443248 — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:57:28 -0400

Biologists have long wondered why the embryonic heart begins beating so early, before the tissues actually need to be infused with blood.

Nectar nurtures pitcher plant’s eating habits

50443248 — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:45:31 -0400

New research from the Harvard Forest shows that carnivorous pitcher plants use sweet nectar to attract ants and flies to their water-filled traps, not color, as earlier research had indicated.

The work, which was among the first to experimentally examine the role of nectar in attraction by pitcher plants in the field, not only served to advance understanding of insect-eating plants, it also helped to improve science education at local schools. It was conducted as part of a National Science Foundation-funded program to enrich science training of local schoolteachers.

Life in the universe? Almost certainly. Intelligence? Maybe not

50443248 — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:56:00 -0400

We are likely not alone in the universe, though it may feel like it, since life on other planets is probably dominated by microbes or other nonspeaking creatures, according to scientists who gave their take on extraterrestrial life at Harvard recently.

Speakers reviewed how life on Earth arose and the many, sometimes improbable steps it took to create intelligence here. Radio astronomer Gerrit Verschuur said he believes that though there is very likely life out there — perhaps a lot of it — it is very unlikely to be both intelligent and able to communicate with us.

Some vocal-mimicking animals, particularly parrots, can move to a musical beat

50443248 — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:57:42 -0400

Researchers at Harvard University have found that humans aren’t the only ones who can groove to a beat — some other species can dance, too. The capability was previously believed to be specific to humans. The research team found that only species that can mimic sound seem to be able to keep a beat, implying an evolutionary link between the two capacities.

The study was led by Adena Schachner, a doctoral candidate in psychology at Harvard, and is published in the current issue of Current Biology. Schachner’s co-authors are Marc Hauser, professor of psychology at Harvard; Irene Pepperberg, lecturer at Harvard and adjunct associate professor of psychology at Brandeis University; and Timothy Brady, a doctoral candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Urban areas offer hidden biodiversity

50443248 — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:22:03 -0400

Urban areas around the world are places of hidden biodiversity that need to be protected and encouraged through smart urban design, said an authority in green city design.

Culture skews human evolution

50443248 — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:32:21 -0400

The rise of agriculture 10,000 years ago meant the end of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle for which human beings had been optimized by millions of years of evolution and the beginning of an era where culture encourages habits unhealthy for us and for the world around, with uncertain evolutionary outcomes.

“Our bodies are not that well designed for the world we have created,” said anthropology professor Daniel Lieberman.